The Saturnian system along with various moons around the planet Saturn: Iapetus, Titan, Enceladus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione.
Credit: Stellarium Web
September brings the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn back into view, along with their moons. And while we organize celebrations to observe our own Moon this month, be sure to grab a telescope or binoculars to see others within our Solar System when they are at their highest in the night sky!
The More the Merrier
As of September 2024, the ringed planet Saturn has 146 identified moons in its orbit. They range in size from a few hundred feet across, to Titan, which can be viewed from nearly 900 million miles away with a 4-inch telescope, due to its sheer size. The Huygens probe briefly explored Titan in 2005 as part of the Cassini-Huygens mission. NASA’s mission Dragonfly is set to explore the surface of Titan again in the 2030s.
Saturn’s moon Enceladus was also explored by the Cassini mission, revealing plumes of ice that erupt from below the surface, adding to the brilliance of Saturn’s rings. Like our own Moon, Enceladus remains tidally locked with Saturn, always presenting the same side towards the planet.
The Galilean Gang
The King of the Planets might not have the most moons, but four of Jupiter’s 95 moons are the easiest to see with a small pair of binoculars or a small telescope because they form a clear line.
The Jovian system: Europa, Io, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Credit: Stellarium Web
Galileo, after whom they are named, first discovered the Galilean moons in 1610, and they continue to amaze stargazers.
• Ganymede is the largest moon in our solar system, larger than the planet Mercury. It is possible saltwater ocean is beneath the surface.
• Callisto is a heavily cratered moon and the third largest in our solar system.
• Io is an extremely volcanically active, due to the push and pull of Jupiter’s gravity. Activity is so intense that the largest telescopes here on Earth can view it.
• Europa is Jupiter’s smallest moon and the best candidate for a liquid ocean beneath the surface. NASA’s Europa Clipper is set to launch in October and will examine Europa’s potential to support life.
You can celebrate International Observe the Moon Night here on Earth September 14, 2024, leading up to the super full moon on September 17th!
